Rampage Sign All-Time Leading Scorer Brian Gowins, Three Others

Published on October 20, 2006 under Arena Football League (1987-2008) (AFL I)
Grand Rapids Rampage News Release


GRAND RAPIDS - Embarking on their 10th Anniversary Season, the Grand Rapids Rampage have signed the team's most prolific scorer, kicker Brian Gowins (Birmingham, Ala.), to a one-year contract. The Northwestern University graduate and Arena Football League veteran spent four years (2000-03) with the Rampage, helping the team to its ArenaBowl win in 2001.

Gowins holds almost every Rampage kicking record. His team-best 56 field goals and 108 field-goal attempts reflect both his importance in Rampage history and his accuracy - Gowins' career 53.6 field-goal percentage is the highest in AFL history among kickers with over 80 attempts. The 5-10, 180-pound kicker also leads the Rampage in extra points attempted (373) and made (330), and his 504 career points in a Grand Rapids uniform is tops in team history.

Gowins' most impressive season came during the Rampage's run to ArenaBowl XV in 2001. He garnered AFL Kicker of the Year honors that year after hitting 57.7 percent of his field-goal attempts (15 of 26) during the regular season and 96.0 percent of his regular-season extra-point attempts (97 of 101). In addition, Gowins was selected to the AFL All-Rookie Team in 2000 after making 25 field goals in 44 regular-season tries.

"I consider myself part of the Rampage family, and the last few years have been tough for us," said Gowins. "I think I can help bring the team back. After taking last year off, I'm thrilled to be getting back into football, and this is a great place to be."

Prior to beginning his AFL career with the Rampage, Gowins was a standout kicker at Northwestern from 1995-98. He was named to the All-Big Ten first team in 1997 and helped the Wildcats to Big Ten championships in 1995 and 1996. Gowins also spent time in the NFL, connecting on four of six field goal attempts in two games with the Chicago Bears in 1999 and attending training camp with the Detroit Lions (1999) and the Carolina Panthers (2000). Most recently, he kicked for the AFL's Las Vegas Gladiators in 2004 and Orlando Predators in 2005.

Also signing with the Rampage were defensive lineman Jerry Turner (Birmingham, Ala.), linebacker Johnnie Balous (Carthage, Texas), and wide receiver Kenny Williams (Dallas, Texas).

Turner received arenafootball2's U.S. Army Lineman of the Year award last season with the Bakersfield Blitz after piling up 16 sacks in 14 regular-season games and three sacks in two playoff contests. The 6-3, 270-pound Tennessee Tech University graduate is tied with Greg Taylor as the most prolific pass rusher in af2 history, notching 37.5 sacks in four seasons (2001-02, 2004, 2006).

"I met [Rampage head coach Sparky McEwen] a couple of months ago and he really sold me on this team," said Turner. "I'm a pure pass rusher. I want to come in and help this team make the playoffs."

Balous returns to the Rampage after recording three tackles in four games with Grand Rapids last season. The 6-1, 260-pound linebacker was a two-year letterwinner at Oklahoma University (1998-99) and played four seasons (2001-04) in the af2 with the Tulsa Talons and the Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz.

Williams joins Grand Rapids following a 2005 season spent at Oklahoma State University. The 6-4, 220-pound receiver caught three passes for 40 yards with the Cowboys last year and gained all-district honors at South Oak Cliff (Texas) High School in 2000.

The Rampage also released offensive/defensive lineman Mike Lawson (Delray Beach, Fla.).

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Arena Football League (1987-2008) Stories from October 20, 2006


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